Mutually latching duplex relay



Jan. 7, 1958 J. H. JAIDINGER 2,819,364

MUTUALLY LATCHING DUPLEX .RELAY Fiied Feb. 24, 1956 /10v v/IOL, [1D[1540 m n 0 0 IN VEN TOR Jo/zn J1. hidirz er United States PatentMUTUALLY LATCHING DUPLEX RELAY John Henry Jaidinger, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 24, 1956, Serial No. 567,595

1 Claim. (Cl. 200-98) This invention relates to latching relays. Inparticular it has reference to a pair of relays mounted on a commonframe and including mechanical elements whereby the deenergizedcondition of one relay is effective to lock mechanically the other relayin a position corresponding to energization of its operating coil andvice versa.

Relays of the foregoing general class are well known. However, thoseknown to me occupy larger space than I have found necessary and are notsufficiently immune to accelerative forces such as prevail in aircraftand airborne missiles and, moreover, are not sufficiently rapid inresponse.

The principal objects of my invention reside in providing a duplexlatching relay as aforesaid which occupies less space than similarlyfunctioning relays, is relatively more immune to effects of accelerationthan prior relays and possesses substantially less response time thanprior relays.

Other objects are to provide mutually latching relays which compriseparts lending themselves to savings in manufacturing cost and which aremore easily adjusted than those heretofore available. Further objectswill become apparent from the ensuing description which, taken with theaccompanying drawing, discloses a preferred mode of carrying theinvention into practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a duplex relay in accordance withthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 depicts a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail of the latching fingers in the opposite position tothat of Fig. 1.

Regarded broadly the invention comprises the provision of a frameworkadapted to support the operating coils of a pair of relays confrontingeach other and preferably coaxial. The frame carries an armature foreach relay so mounted pivotally that the armatures experience movementover an angle of only a few degrees and therefore, in all positions, liein substantially parallel planes. A latching finger extendssubstantially normally from each armature and their distal ends are bentand shaped for mutual engagement in either of two positions dependingupon which of the relays is latched and which unlatched. The latchingfingers are so shaped on their abutting ends that latching andunlatching occur without hiatus and pursuant to the extremely smallrange of movement of the armatures. The armatures also carry the movablecontacts, as is customary, although the invention is equally adaptableto relays wherein the contacts may be operated as a secondary result ofarmature movement as for example where the armature operates anothermember carrying the movable contacts.

Thus, referring to the drawing I have shown exemplificatively a pair ofrelays and 10a of similar construction including operating coils 11 and11a carried on the usual bobbins 12 and 12a and cores 13 and 13a whichare, in turn, supported on yokes 16 and 16a of any suitable ice form. Itwill be noted that, in the device shown, the axes of the cores 13 and13a are coaxial but may be offset laterally without departing from thescope of the invention.

In the present case the yokes are carried by screws 17 and 17a on acommon frame 18 of any suitable configuration including at least thebase part 21 and upstanding ears 22 and 22a forming mounting surfacesfor the respective yokes 16 and 16a.

Each of the armatures 25-25a are of conventional construction and arepivotally supported on the respective yokes preferably by abutment of anarrowed portion 26 thereof on a notch 27 of the yoke as is expedientlydone in such cases. A resilient clip 29 having a hooked terminus passesthrough an aperture of the arm for retaining the armature on its seat 27and the customary restoring spring is seen at 31. Although not fullyevident from Fig. 1 it will be understood that the foregoing detailsconcerning the armature 25a and its appurtenances apply equally toarmature 25.

Each armature carries the tongues 33 and the thereoncarried contacts 34,all in conventional form. The fixed contacts are shown at 35.

The novel latching means will now be described. Each armature hasappended thereto a substantially L-shaped element 41-41a including anattaching leg 42-42a and a latching leg 43-4361. To permit verticaladjustment each leg 42-42a is provided with a slot, such as 42b, toreceive a machine screw 44a threaded into the respective armature.Additional adjustment may be accomplished by bending the legs i-3aangularly or laterally.

The legs 43 and 43a are identical and include an upwardly bent distalend portion 4545a forming an angle of about 45 with the major portion ofthe leg 4343a and a squared-off end 46-4641. It will be noted from Figs.1 and 4 that, in one latching position, portion 45 abuts face 46a and,in the other position, portion 45a abuts face 46, whereby to lock eitherarmature 25 or armature 25a in back position, as the case may be.

It will be noted that the angular excursion of the arms 43-43a is thesame as that of the respective armatures. Thus the extent of abutment ofthe portions 45-45a must be determined in accordance with such angularmovement in order that pull-in of one armature produces sufiicientdisplacement of its pertinent arm 43 or 43a to release the portion 45 or45a from the previous position and to cause it to take up its newposition. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that only atrifling clearance need be permitted for entry of one'portion 45 or 45abeneath the cooperative portion of the other portion 45a or 45. Whilesuch clearance cannot be indicated in the drawing due to limitations ofscale it is provided at a region X.

From the foregoing it will have become apparent that each relay latchesthe other in energized position as is the operation of mutually latchingrelays generally. That is to say the circuits maintained by the contactsof one relay may not be interrupted unless and until the circuits to bemaintained by the other are established. lt will be clear however thatone or the other relay may be absent contacts and therefore serve simplyas a solenoid for mechanically latching the other relay and, in turn, belatched by its opposite.

It will be seen that the substantially aligned disposition of thefingers 43, 43a is such as to render the same virtually immune toaccelerative forces in directions other than the common axis of thecoils, whereas in prior constructions the latching fingers bore asubstantially relation to each other which rendered them subject toundesirable displacing forces in two axes. in certain applications, e.g. aboard aircraft and in guided missiles it is important that devicesthereon, such as relays, be

made insensitive to accelerative forces to the greatest possible extent.My relay represents a solution to this problem.

By forming the coactive ends of the latching fingers in the novel mannerdisclosed I have found that the purpose served by a prior relay 3 inlength can now be served by a relay as herein described only 2 in lengthcorresponding to a dimensional reduction of 27%.

Additionally, by reason of the shorter lever arm involved in theoperation of the latching fingers response time has been reduced toapproximately half that of prior constructions.

Prior relays of certain designs have been so arranged that the latchingfingers occupied operating space adjacent the terminal boards wherebythe useful area of the latter has been curtailed. In the present caseall of the space desired for terminals may be fully utilized.

Since overlap of the abutting faces 46 and 46a may be made small with nodanger of inisfunction release can be effected much more readily. As afurther consequence the force of the restoring spring 31 may beincreased and drop-out time thus shortened.

The invention arrangement permits the latching fingers to be made quiteshort and therefore rigid whereby the bending moment is reduced and thefingers rendered much less sensitive to shock. Furthermore, adjustmentof the fingers is rendered simpler than is the case with longer, morepliable fingers.

By providing stubby and therefore rigid, latching fingers the naturalperiod of vibration of these components is elevated well beyond anyrange of frequencies likely to be encountered during use. Thusmisfunction due to vibrational behaviour is rendered virtuallyimpossible.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will beunderstood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto sincemany modifications may be made and I therefore contemplate by theappended claim to cover any such modifications as fall within the truespirit and scope of my invention.

1 claim:

in a latching relay including a pair of selectively energized relayshaving cooperating latch bars on the armatures thereof for latching thelast energized relay in its make position, the improvement comprising,in com bination, a rigid downwardly open base channel, a pair of relayseach comprising a U-shaped bracket secured to said channel with one legthereof positioned closely adjacent the upper surface of said channel, acoil secured to the base of said bracket, an armature pivoted at thefree end of said one leg of said bracket and extending generallyparallel to the base of said bracket, a coil spring mounting saidarmature on said bracket and normally biasing the same away from saidcoil, said spring generally paralleling said one leg of said bracket tothe lower side thereof and being disposed within said channel to beprotected thereby, contact means carried by said armature adjacent theother leg of said bracket, a terminal board mounted on said other leg ofsaid bracket parallel to said legs, and contact means carried by saidterminal board for cooperation with the contact means carried by saidarmature, said relays being mounted on said channel in opposition to oneanother, said coils being aligned axially, said armatures and saidterminal boards being disposed closely adjacent one another, saidterminal boards being coplanar, extending parallel to said base andbeing upwardly exposed for convenient access, and a latch bar extendingat an angle of the order of 45 degrees from the pivotally mounted end ofeach armature towards the other armature, said bars at their endscooperating with one another with one bar at its end engaging the sideof the bar on the armature of the last energized relay to latch thearmature and the armature carried contact means of the last energizedrelay in their make positions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,131,447 Wallace Mar. 9, 1915 1,151,720 Ruddick Aug. 31, 1915 1,702,490Brach Feb. 19, 1929 2,061,920 Piffath Nov. 24, 1936 2,255,905 Somers etal. Sept. 16, 1941 2,329,036 Ebert Sept. 7, 1943 2,631,207 Kuntz Mar.10, 1953 FORElGN PATENTS 341,221 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1931 421,548Great Britain Dec. 20, 1934 525,591 France June 13, 1921

